Ashland Independent Film Festival previews this year's films

ASHLAND, Ore. - The Ashland Independent Film Festival preview was held on Monday night.

Trailers, images and guest speakers will introduce this year's films.

There were more than 800 film submissions handpicked by 25 volunteers.

The films expand outside of the mainstream Hollywood cinema and feature women, minority groups, and the immigrant experience.

Many of those films will focus on political issues.

"A lot of film makers are getting engaged politically at the moment to broaden people's perspective. Understanding cultures outside their own and that's going to be talked about a lot at the festival," Ashland Independent Film Festival Director, Richard Herskowitz, said.